College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Postgraduate
MSc Offer-holder eZine February 2013
The TED Connection ‘Global Challenges Grounded Solutions’ Student Association’s TEDx Event plans discussion on how grounded connections may solve global problems
Also in this issue: Innovative Learning Week Latest research news
This eZine is designed for students who have an offer with The University of Edinburgh’s College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, to provide you with the latest College updates as well as further details on your journey to the University.
Welcome Hello, Congratulations on receiving an offer to study your Masters in Edinburgh. This eZine is designed to keep offer-holders informed of news from the College, as well as providing you with useful information related to postgraduate study here in Edinburgh. If you have any queries about any aspect of your application or programme of study, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Best wishes,
Lauren Johnston-Smith Marketing and Communications Manager email: lauren.johnston-smith@ed.ac.uk
LATEST RESEARCH Gene gives motor neurone disease insight A discovery using stem cells from a patient with motor neurone disease could help research into treatments for the condition. The study used a patient’s skin cells to create motor neurons - nerve cells that control muscle activity - and the cells that support them called a strocytes. The research was led by the University’s Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Research, in collaboration with King’s College, London, Columbia University in New York, the University of California and the Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco. READ MORE
Men miss social cues, study shows Researchers have shown that women outperform men in tests of their social cognition - the way we understand and respond to cues in other people’s behaviour. Scientists at The University of Edinburgh made their findings by studying the brain activity of three groups of people. These were a group of men with Asperger’s syndrome - an autism-spectrum disorder, that impairs social brain functioning - a group of men and a group of women without the condition. The team says its findings suggest that men’s brains have to work harder when making social decisions to make up for the fact that their brains are naturally less efficient at the tasks. READ MORE
Protein triggers stem cell development A natural trigger that enables stem cells to become any cell-type in the body has been discovered by scientists. University researchers have identified a protein that kick-starts the process by which stem cells can develop to into different cells in the body, for instance liver or brain cells. “This gives us better insight into the crucially important first step stem cells take to differentiate into other cell types. Understanding how and when this happens could help to improve the way in which we are able to control this process” Dr Sally Lowell, MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine READ MORE
FROM AROUND THE UNIVERSITY
The University of Edinburgh and EUSA (Edinburgh University Students’ Association) are hosting a TEDx event on 22nd February 2013. Tickets are sold out but the talks will be streamed online through the TEDxUniversityofEdinburgh website. Visit the website for details. The talk will explore the interconnected world in which we live, where grounded connections help solve global problems. In the spirit of TEDx and the expansion of global knowledge, we will explore links between people, between communities, between the Global North and South, between the intellectual and the practical world. TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 25 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives.
INNOVATIVE LEARNING WEEK Innovative Learning Week (18-22 February) is a week-long programme of creative and experiential learning events that gives on-campus students a great chance to develop new skills. During Innovative Learning Week, regular lectures and tutorials will be replaced with exciting opportunities to: • • • • •
gain a new perspective on your degree subject learn new skills and inspire you to think about your future career exchange ideas and stimulate debate meet staff and students from different Schools and Colleges network and find new opportunities for research or revision
Click here to get a taste of innovative learning that might come your way when you’re a student with us!
EDINBURGH ON FILM Research in a nutshell Research in a Nutshell is an online collection of 1 minute videos introducing Edinburgh University academic staff and their research. Featuring a range of research from zebrafish regeneration to virus pathogenesis, our College Research in a Nutshell page gives you a taste of some of the research that’s going on in our many interdisciplinary centres and institutes.
Vet School film If you’re planning on studying at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, then watch their new introductory film here
Graduate profiles We caught up with a few students at Graduation in November, and asked them what they had got out of their postgraduate studies, and what their plans are for the future. You can see a full range of films on our YouTube channel. “I had hands-on learning from some of the best scientists and facilities”
Student bloggers Our student ambassadors have been busy blogging about their experiences http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/medicine-vetmedicine/postgraduate/explore/blogs • Animal Biosciences student, Gwen Tsang • Human Anatomy student, Catherine Hennessy • Public Health student, Samantha Luker
Akriti Gupta, MSc Animal Biosciences
EXPLORE POSTGRAD Explore postgraduate through our films, blogs, & social media pages. Click the incons to find out more.
I wish I had known…! on Facebook From where to get a haircut, to how to manage your deadlines, this handy Facebook page run by EUSA (Edinburgh University Student Association) is full of valuable tips from current students.
DOWNLOAD COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY APPS! There are two free apps that you should download to your smartphone, if you have one:
The College App - UoE CMVM - provides applicants with useful information such as video guidance on accepting offers, and access to accommodation links, latest College news, student blogs, Facebook groups etc. The App is currently available for iPhone and iPad users only, but if successful will be rolled out to other platforms. We will be using the App to keep you updated on important updates leading up to matriculation and enrolment. So please remember to ‘accept’ the push notification request once you’ve downloaded it.
The University App – U@Ed – is designed for current or new students and is available on both iOS and Android platforms. Students can view courses, notices, events, use the Campus Maps, check library records and financial details. It also features a Friend Finder so that you can see where your friends are on the campus, making it easier to catch up with people on the move.
Contact details If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us at: Postgraduate Office, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, The University of Edinburgh http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/medicine-vet-medicine/postgraduate/contacts